Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1887-08-19
A NEW DEAL.
The Northern Pacific and Manitoba to
Give Farmers the Advantage
of a Better Market,
A Uniform Freight Rate to be Estab.
lished to Duluth, St. Paul
and Minneapolis.
A General Freight War Imminent,

M1NNEAPoL1s, Aug. 1.-THE Market
Record to-day says: "There have recently
been several meetings of the northwest
freight men IN st. Paul, held to condsider
freight rates between Minneapolis, st.
Paul, Duluth and points common to two or
more of the roads running west from them.
The chief cause of discord is the grain
rate. The Manitoba is about ready to is
sue new tariff sheet making the tariff
west from all points west of the Mime ota
and Dakota line the same to either Mime
apolis, St. Paul or Duluth. The North
ern Pacific has Joined in making that rate,
which is to take effect August 25th. The
existing tariff of both makes difference in
favor of Minneapolis from all points COM
ing in direct competition with any of the'
Minneapolis or St. Paul roads. That diff
ference amounts to some to 81 cents per
100 pounds. The new rate from all its
points in the James river country is 20
cents to either Minneapolis, Duluth or St.
Paul, against the % cent rate of the Mil
waukee and Northwestern from the same
places. The difference in distance between
these western points and Minneapolis or
Duluth is from 25 to 40 per cent in favor of
Minneapolis. The Duluth wheat market
is usually cent to 3 cents higher than
Minneapolis prices. With rates the same,
wheat will 60 where prices are highest.
The other roads have not yet formulated
plan to meet the new conditions, and the
probability is that it will take bitter
freight war to settle the question:
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug 1S.--Tbe Evening
new tariff sheet by the Manitoba to take
effect August 25th is of vastly more i'm
portance to the railroads of the northwest
and to the cities of Minneapolis and Duluth
than might at first be supposed. In fact
this is the first move in the irrepreSsible
war which astute railroad managers have
long known was bound to break out be-
tween Minneapolis and st. Paul on one
hand and Duluth on the other, and be-
tween the Minneapolis and Chicago roads
on one hand and the Duluth roads, viz: the
Manitoba and Northern Pacific, on the
other. The secret is out. The mask is
thrown aside. The Manitoba by this new
marks it henceforth as the champion Of the
Zenith City. Minneapolis mills might as
we'll shut up shop first as last"
General Freight Manager P. L. Shute Of
the Washburn says: "There is another as
pect to it which goes to show that the
Manitoba has a big fight On its hands.
Its branches to Aberdeen, Watertown and
Sioux Falls involve every one of the Min
neapolis and Chicago roads in controversy.
The Milwaukee is most affected, and |
have assurances that it will stand by us
! strongly in this war. 1t must do it or let
its traffic get away from it. The North
western, too, must take hand and alto
gether it is clear that Minneapolis has
powerful friends as well as enemies.'
One broad principle underlying the Man.
itoba's new departure is that Minneapolis
and Duluth must henceforth stand on
equal footing in Dakota wheat fields. Rates
to both cities must be the same. The sixty
miles difference in favor of Minneapolis
must be Obliberated as far as freight rates
are concerned and the city of Minneapolis
must be wiped off from the map as
wheat market. General Washburn said
this morning: "If the policy announced by
the Manitoba is carried out not a spoonful
of wheat will come into Minneapolis"